Why the disparity? One possibility is education. Follow the last link and scroll down to Table 7 and you’ll see, as expected, that the more educated you are, the less likely you are to see astrology as scientific. According to the very first polls taken on the tea party movement in 2010, TPers are better educated (and wealthier) than the population on average. That probably explains why “conservative Republican” is at the bottom of the list above. On the other hand, exit polls from election day 2012 show Obama winning only narrowly among voters without a college degree. Maybe the education gap between the parties isn’t so pronounced. Or maybe income is somehow a better peg for astrological belief than education is: O did win heavily among poorer voters.

Another possibility is faith. It may be that the more devoutly you believe in a religion, the less likely you are to give credence to a quasi-religious belief system (which nonetheless purports to be “scientific”) like astrology. That would help explain why Republicans, the more religious of the two parties, are more skeptical. On the Democratic side, it’s a mirror image of the same story: Liberals are more likely to be religious skeptics than other Democrats and that bleeds over into skepticism of astrology, which pushes their numbers lower than moderate or conservative Dems. But not too low — one of the striking findings here is that even lefties are more than 10 points more likely to find scientific value in astrology than righties are.

The third possibility is that this is, to some degree, a byproduct of age demographics. You ready for this?

You get a 10-point drop with every 20 years of age. Republican voters skew older and young voters, famously, skew Democratic. It’s the ignorance of the millennials and the comparative wisdom of the elderly that’s pushing Democrats down and Republicans up, respectively. (Although … what’s up with the 70+ crowd?) Not only that, but according to another study of Americans’ confidence in astrology released last week, most of the population — but millennials especially — have seen their credulousness about astrology increase since 2005. Nine years ago, just 40 percent or so of the 18-29 age group believed that astrology was sort of scientific; today it’s nearly 60 percent. How come?

Maybe we can figure this out. Click the last link and eyeball the two graphs there. In the first graph, the number of skeptics (people who think astrology is “not at all scientific”) starts to climb halfway through Reagan’s first term, as America recovers from recession, and stays relatively high throughout the prosperous 90s. It starts to dip around the time Clinton was impeached — and then skyrockets right after 9/11, falling gradually but consistently since then. The second graph, tracking the number of believers (people who think astrology is at least sort of scientific) falls until 2005 and then increases only modestly — until around 2008, when it soars and keeps on soaring. Put all of that together and what we’re seeing here, I think, is people’s faith in astrology waxing and waning as their faith in public institutions rises and falls. A rosy economy in the 80s and 90s made them skeptical; the big swell of national unity after 9/11 made them even more skeptical. But as the Iraq war wore on and then, especially, the financial crisis and ensuing recession hit, they’ve lost faith in the economy and the government. Obama’s term in office has done little to repair it, so they start dabbling with alternate belief systems to impose order on the world. That’s not the only explanation for what’s happening, as I’ve already noted, but it ain’t just poor schooling, I think, that explains why millennials in particular are more susceptible to this. They’re the ones getting hit hardest in recession-era America. As is the lower class, which might account for the income link I suggested earlier.

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I know from experience in talking with my leftist acquaintances, I end up having to explain current events, what happened in history, and generally explaining things to them. They all still think they are smarter than me though.

Wait! I thought there were all kinds of studies showing how liberals are way smarter and scientific than conservatives. Most of them believe in man made global warming so they must be way smarter than rubes like me. I would have said antiepolitic, err, anthrowpalitco, uh, anthrologic, damn, see how stupid I am. I can’t even spell anthropological because I’m a conservative.

I know from experience in talking with my leftist acquaintances, I end up having to explain current events, what happened in history, and generally explaining things to them. They all still think they are smarter than me though.

birdwatcher on February 17, 2014 at 4:14 PM

I’m not sure that is limited to liberals. I’m sometimes stunned at how ignorant about current events some of my conservative acquaintances are. Anyone that gets their news from the alphabet media is pretty clueless about what is going on in the world. Unfortunately most people get their news from those sources.

Study: Democrats more likely to think astrology is scientific, less likely to know Earth revolves around the sun

Not to mention that only democrats and their 84 IQ Nobel Savage have any clue as to what “profit AND earnings ratios” might be. In fact, these mathmetical illiterates and their dog-eating idol are the only people in the English-speaking world who even think that division or ratios translate to “AND”,

P.S. And we’re giving Barky and his Nobel Savage Idolators a pass on the sheer stupidity of not knowing that profits and earnings are the same thing.

I know from experience in talking with my leftist acquaintances, I end up having to explain current events, what happened in history, and generally explaining things to them. They all still think they are smarter than me though.

birdwatcher on February 17, 2014 at 4:14 PM

‘Arguing with a Liberal is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock over the pieces, $hit all over the board and strut around like it’s victorious’

Another possibility is faith. It may be that the more devoutly you believe in a religion, the less likely you are to give credence to a quasi-religious belief system (which nonetheless purports to be “scientific”) like astrology.

The more you believe in the invisible man in the sky, the less you’ll believe that the stars in the sky effect your life. Unfortunately you’re correct.

Remember this the next time some filthy liberal calls the Bible mythology.

Happy Nomad on February 17, 2014 at 4:24 PM

What if it’s a clean liberal? Should I still remember it?
Astrology falls into that “New Age” crap which encompasses a lot of the old religions and beliefs which liberals think are so much more evolved then beliefs in invisible sky daddies. I always found it interesting that dredging up old myths and beliefs are considered “New Age”.

Study: Democrats more likely to think astrology is scientific, less likely to know Earth revolves around the sun

That contention has always made me skeptical. With relativity, you can argue for a geocentric model or heliocentric model. It doesn’t matter, since Einstein argued that all motion is defined relative to a fixed point. Even with modern astronomy, in so far as you wish to pick a “fixed point” and measure movement relative to that, astronomers will talk about revolving around the barycenter rather than the sun.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California has now identified with certainty the heaviest element known to science.
————-

The new element, Pelosium (PL), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Pelosium is inert, and has no charge and no magnetism. Nevertheless, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Pelosium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.

Pelosium has a normal half-life of 2 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a biennial reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

Pelosium mass will increase over time, since each reorganization will promote many morons to become isodopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Pelosium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Pelosium becomes Senatorium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Pelosium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Pelosium, while every dangerous, has not been shown to add anything of value to the mass!

On the Democratic side, it’s a mirror image of the same story: Liberals are more likely to be religious skeptics than other Democrats and that bleeds over into skepticism of astrology, which pushes their numbers lower than moderate or conservative Dems.

Not correct. Those who abandon God find their spirituality in any snake-oil salesman they can find; whether it be astrology, tarot card readings, crystals, big government, mother Gaia, or aliens.

Well, see, if you’re a Dem, you’re more likely to believe you don’t need to KNOW stuff yourself… you just have to KNOW EXPERTS you can trust who KNOW stuff for you.
‘Cause some stuff is just hard – like math.

Aren’t these the same people who made fun of Nancy Reagan for consulting an astrologer?

Dr. ZhivBlago on February 17, 2014 at 4:38 PM

And they later gave Bill and Hillary Clinton a pass for Eleanor Roosevelt.

While speaking at a dedication ceremony for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York City on Wednesday, former President Bill Clinton said his wife “was known to commune” with Eleanor Roosevelt, and that Roosevelt had passed him a message through Hillary this week.

Progressives believe in science! They just predetermine the results they want from the data, in whatever area of life, and then hide/manipulate/lie about the data to get their predetermined ends, which of course justify their means, because…progress!

That contention has always made me skeptical. With relativity, you can argue for a geocentric model or heliocentric model. It doesn’t matter, since Einstein argued that all motion is defined relative to a fixed point. Even with modern astronomy, in so far as you wish to pick a “fixed point” and measure movement relative to that, astronomers will talk about revolving around the barycenter rather than the sun.

Stoic Patriot on February 17, 2014 at 4:38 PM

Getting into some orbital stuff that is way beyond people that think astrology is science. I’m a dabbler in orbital stuff because my spouse and I play “Kerbal Space Program”. Which is very much heliocentric. In fact bodies don’t really affect each other much but it’s still hard to get something into orbit. It’s a fun game if you like space and rockets. All done very cartoon like but with a lot of science behind it. People at JPL even play it and NASA is asking them to model its proposed asteroid capture mission as an in game challenge.

The scariest thing in all this…is that at least 1/3 of people don’t know the Earth revolves around the Sun, and goes all the way around in one year. And at most, 3/4 don’t know that either. That’s pretty embarrassing.

33.7% not knowing the earth revolves around the sun and that it takes a year is a horrid failure. That other groups fail more is bad, but that we fail that much is inexcusable.

talking_mouse on February 17, 2014 at 4:52 PM

I think probably more know the Earth revolves around the Sun then know one revolution is approximately one year long. But the question asks for answer on both, so a wrong answer in either counts as not knowing.

Getting into some orbital stuff that is way beyond people that think astrology is science. I’m a dabbler in orbital stuff because my spouse and I play “Kerbal Space Program”. Which is very much heliocentric. In fact bodies don’t really affect each other much but it’s still hard to get something into orbit. It’s a fun game if you like space and rockets. All done very cartoon like but with a lot of science behind it. People at JPL even play it and NASA is asking them to model its proposed asteroid capture mission as an in game challenge.

Lucy43 on February 17, 2014 at 4:53 PM

I play that! Actually took a break from it. Back to Minecraft for awhile. You use any mods?

Now, it may be, of course, that the nature of things has fixed a great gulf between truth about the world on the one hand and practical goodness on the other. Meanwhile, however, the nature of things seems to have so constituted the human mind that it is extremely reluctant to accept such a conclusion, except under the pressure of desire or self-interest. Furthermore, those who, to be liberated from political or sexual restraint, accept the doctrine of absolute meaninglessness tend in a short time to become so much dissatisfied with their philosophy (in spite of the services it renders) that they will exchange it for any dogma, however manifestly nonsensical, which restores meaning if only to a part of the universe.

How Can There Be a Clown Shortage With So Many Democrats to Choose From?
The New York Daily News reports the distressing finding of fears that the nation is facing an imminent shortage of clowns:Membership at the World Clown Association, the country’s largest trade group for clowns, has dropped from about 3,500 to 2,500 since 2004.
Let’s see: that time period would correspond with the Democrats electing more of their clowns to Congress, electing the Obama Administration. Not to worry: the solution to the World Clown Association’s woes is obvious, and one place they might start to find a first-rate clown is the State Department.http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/02/how-can-there-be-a-clown-shortage-with-so-many-democrats-to-choose-from.php

I play that! Actually took a break from it. Back to Minecraft for awhile. You use any mods?

NotCoach on February 17, 2014 at 4:57 PM

A few, docking alignment, MechJeb mostly for the added info but sometimes for tedious launches, Enhanced Navball, Texture Replacer because I want lady kerbals with pink suits, KAS and Chatter. There may be a couple of others. KAS is the only parts mod we use. To be honest my husband is way more into it than I and builds Mun bases and space stations etc. I’ve only made it to the Mun and Minmus but he has gone to a few of the other planets.

Wow way off topic but it is kind of science like. Hubby also use to do Orbitersim mods but gave it up when he discovered KSP. I only play KSP because of the cute kerbals.

A few, docking alignment, MechJeb mostly for the added info but sometimes for tedious launches, Enhanced Navball, Texture Replacer because I want lady kerbals with pink suits, KAS and Chatter. There may be a couple of others. KAS is the only parts mod we use. To be honest my husband is way more into it than I and builds Mun bases and space stations etc. I’ve only made it to the Mun and Minmus but he has gone to a few of the other planets.

Wow way off topic but it is kind of science like. Hubby also use to do Orbitersim mods but gave it up when he discovered KSP. I only play KSP because of the cute kerbals.

Lucy43 on February 17, 2014 at 5:19 PM

I know most of those words, but not in the order they appear here. O_o

Not to mention that only democrats and their 84 IQ Nobel Savage have any clue as to what “profit AND earnings ratios” might be. In fact, these mathmetical illiterates and their dog-eating idol are the only people in the English-speaking world who even think that division or ratios translate to “AND”,

P.S. And we’re giving Barky and his Nobel Savage Idolators a pass on the sheer stupidity of not knowing that profits and earnings are the same thing.

They also believe that sexual preference can’t be changed, but gender and sex are perfectly fluid.

melle1228 on February 17, 2014 at 5:02 PM

Nailed it!

Progs also believe that teenagers are too young to be responsible for actions resulting in a capital conviction(hence capital punishment CANNOT be enforced), but that a child of ANY age can make the decision, ALONE, to end a life (abortion without parental notification) or to end their own life (Belgium, here we come)!

The mind…it boggles and, with too much energy spent trying to reconcile the stupidity of their positions…explodes.

Study: Democrats more likely to think astrology is scientific, less likely to know Earth revolves around the sun

That contention has always made me skeptical. With relativity, you can argue for a geocentric model or heliocentric model. It doesn’t matter, since Einstein argued that all motion is defined relative to a fixed point. Even with modern astronomy, in so far as you wish to pick a “fixed point” and measure movement relative to that, astronomers will talk about revolving around the barycenter rather than the sun.

Stoic Patriot on February 17, 2014 at 4:38 PM

The movement of the earth is relative to the sun. Einstein’s theory suggests that simply because we observe the sun revolving around the earth doesn’t make it empirically true. Furthermore, if one were to argue that the sun moved around the earth, they’d have to explain how that was physically possible. What force was causing the Sun to move that way.

When Democrats reject God, they reject Truth; thus, Democrats reject “the study of knowledge” for the comfort of their superstitions. After all, “climate change” is nothing if not superstition, as is the bulk of the political movements that the Democrats indulge in and promote.

You don’t say. The very same people who are conned into believing that cold is caused by ‘global warming’ and hold Bill Nye, a poindextrous libtard in high esteem.

Lanceman on February 17, 2014 at 4:14 PM

This is what I don’t get.

The global warming crowd thinks Bill Nye is a great scientist but he’s never been a scientist. He is an engineer who spent most of his life pursuing an acting and comedy career. He may be an expert on how things on a Boeing 747 work but he’s not a scientist.

But they’ll blast meterologists who are in the scientific field of studying the atmosphere, weather, and climate if they (which most do) disagree with their religion. “Oh, they’re not climate scientists” they say, while nodding their heads in agreement when Bill Nye, who’s not a climate scientist, speaks.